Adjustable merchandise sales table



W. J. DARBY ADJUSTABLE MERCHANDISE SALES TABLE Filed Dec. 20, 1926 INVENTOR.

MK. I. Darby I By M ATTC 'lNEY Patent ed Oct. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,688,003 PATEINT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. DARBY, OF MODESTO, OALIFORNLL.

ADJUSTABLE MERCHANDISE SALES TABLE.

Application filed December 20, 1926 Serial No. 155,861.

This invention relates to improvement-s in sales tables such as are commonly used in retail stores of various kinds, especiall for holding a variety of small articles of iflerent natures or sizes, which are intentionally openly displayed so that a purchaser may help himself, and in any event may see for himself the various kinds of articles carried on the table without assistance from a salesman.

All such tables of this general character as are now used, as far as I am aware, are divided by fixed partitions into open compartments of equal or arbitrarily fixed areas. It frequently happens, however, that owing to the different sizes of articles to be carried in the compartments or to differences in the rapidity with which said articles sell, some articles require a greater space than others if a proper supply without too frequent replenishment is to be maintained in the respective compartment. With the present table the distribution of goods according to their bulk, or the rapidity of sales as above stated, cannot be adequately taken care of and altered at any time as the size or character of the goods is altered with changing demands.

The principal object of my invention therefore is to provide a sales table which is divided into a number of compartments by adjustable partitions, so arranged that the sizes of the compartments may be altered whenever necessary. The partitions cannot normally become vertically displaced, upset or removed, while at the same time any number of partitions may be readily removed from or added to the table when it is desired to do so.

A further object is to provide means on each partition member for carrying a display card which may give the name and price of the articles in adjacent bins, and which may be easily changed at any time. This avoids the need of marking the price on the sides of the compartments as is sometimes done, or of tacking cards to said sides as is also done, and which are but crude expedients.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. l is a perspective end elevation of my improved sales table.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective elevation of an adjustable partition shown in connect1on on one side with'a supporting tray.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section of the table.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the main table includes a bottom surface 1 having upstanding sides and ends 2 and supporting legs 3. Supported on the table surface 1 and extending from end to end thereof are longitudinal and transversely alined trays 4. The ends of the trays are open but are closed when in position by the end members 2 of the table. The sides 4* of the trays project closely under overhanging lips 5 which extend along the inner faces of the end members 2 at the top thereof, thus preventing vertical displacement of the trays after they are once in place.

In each tray is mounted a plurality of ver tical and transversely extending partitions. Each partition comprises a vertical plate 7, a bottom flange 8 extending the full width of the plate and bent at right angles thereto to rest on the bottom of the tray, and vertical longitudinally extending sidewings ,9 formed with the plate at the ends thereof and bent in a direction opposite to the flange 8 to rest adjacent the sides 4 of the tray. The sides of the tray are bent inwardly at the top to form downwardly depending flanges 10 which enclose a channel or groove 11, into which the upper portions of the wings 9 project. The metal between the plate 7 and the wings for a certain distance from the top down is cut away to form vertical slots 12 so as to permit the passage of the flange 10 therebetween, while enabling the plate to be made the same height as the sides of the tray. It will therefore be seen that the partitions are guided for longitudinal adjustment in the tray. At the same time they cannot tip either backwards or forwards, since the flange 8 prevents such movement in one direction and the wings 9 in the other. Neither can the partition be lifted out of place owing to the engagement of the side channels with the cooperating portions of the wings. The flange 8 not only supports the partition against tipping movement" but braces the plate 7 and prevents the same from any tendency to bucklin lentrally of its width the plate 7 is provided with an angularly disposed bracket or holder 13 which is provided with overlapping lips 14 around the sides and bottom so as to receive a price card or the like from the top and hold the same against downward or lateral displacement.

In order to permit of the partitions being removed without removing the trays from the table, the flanges 10 of each tray are cut away adjacent one end as at 15 for an extent not less than the length of the wings 9. Therefore when any partition is moved along the tray so that the wings are vertically alined with the corresponding cut-away portion 15 the partition may be withdrawn from the tray vertically. It will be seen from the above arran ement that any number of partitions may he inserted in any tray and may be then arranged so as to divide the tray into a corresponding number of compartments of varying lengths, according to the kind and number of goods to be kept in said compartments. If desired an upstanding post 16 may be mounted in connection with any partition, said post on its upper end carrying a holder 17 to support a card 18 which may give the general classification or price of the goods sold on the table.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen thatI have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the s irit of the invention, as defined b the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sales device including a tray, a transverseand longitudinally adjustable partition in the tray, longitudinally extending wings on the partition at the side edges thereof, and inturned flanges depending downwardly from the sides of the tray at the topj'to form longitudinal channels in which the upper ends of the wings ride.

2. A sales device including a tray, a transverse and longitudinally adjustable partition in the tray, longitudinal extending wings on the partition at the side edges thereof, and inturned flanges depending downwardly from the sides of the tray at the to to form longitudinal channels in which t e upper ends of the wings ride, said flanges'being cut away at acertain place in the length of the tray for an extent not less than the length of the wings.

3. A sales device comprising a tray, inturned flanges along the side edges of the tray depending downwardly and spaced from the sides, and a transverse and longitudinally adjustable partition in the tray; the partition having slots depending from the top thereof into which the flanges project; said flanges being cut away at a certain place in the length of the tray to permit the partition when adjacent said place to be removed from the tray by an upward movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM J. DARBY. 

